The way the PWHL / PWHLPA collective bargaining agreement was designed, there will be little to no money for any player, outside of the players on three-year guaranteed contracts, to receive a raise this season, or next, or the season beyond that. It will impact free agency and the retention of talent.

Year one of the PWHL's regular season is in the books and the playoffs are underway. With only weeks remaining before the PWHL Draft and opening of PWHL Free Agency however, teams are already working frantically behind the scenes to prepare for the offseason and year two.

Fans in Ottawa were a little surprised by star forward Daryl Watts' postseason comments when she said she'd test the market.

"I'm a free agent now. That's the business of pro sports,” said Watts. “I will negotiate with Ottawa and other teams, and test the markets to see what the best fit will be for next year.”

The hard truth for players like Watts, and others across the league however, is there will be little to no money for raises unless you signed an already lucrative three-year guaranteed contract. It's more likely players will be asked to take pay cuts to stay in the league next year, than they are to receive raises. Pay will not be tied to performance in the PWHL for at least two more seasons. Here's why.

Players On Three Year Contract Will Get Raises

There are only two groups of players in the PWHL who are guaranteed a raise next year. The league average will go up by 3% as prescribed by the collective bargaining agreement from $55,000 to $56,650, equating to an additional $37,950 total per team. The bulk of that however, will be eaten up by players on guaranteed three-year deals who negotiated a 3% annual raise to their salaries each season. While the minimum these six players per team can make is $80,000 each season, the reality is many are making well over $100,000 per season. If we take a conservative estimate of a $90,000 average for these players per team, it means $16,200 of the available $37,950 is now gone. That leaves $21,750 remaining to go around. This conservative estimate also excludes players on two-year deals, many of whom also have built in raises.

League Minimum Increases, But More Players May Make Minimum

The league minimum will increase from $35,000 to $36,050 next season, another portion oof the 3% annual increase. This season the CBA stipulated teams could have a maximum of nine players on their roster making this bottom salary. That stipulation disappears heading into next season meaning teams can sign as many players as they want to the new league minimum. For teams that utilized all nine spots at the minimum last year, they'll see salaries rise by another $9,450 next year. That brings the amount remaining, after three-year guaranteed contracted players get their raises, from our estimate of $21,750 down to $12,300 for the rest of the roster.

What about new draft picks?

Before PWHL teams even think about re-signing their returning players, they'll need to consider their incoming draft picks. Sources confirm the PWHLPA is in discussions to mandate minimum salaries for top draft picks, this only weeks before the second ever draft. If that were to come to fruition with salaries as low as $45,000 for first round picks and $40,000 for second round picks, the equivalent of $12,900 above league minimum total, it would immediately necessitate pay cuts for other players, erasing the remainder of the available money teams gained from the 3% CBA mandated increase. Even if these salaries aren't mandated by the league, teams will certainly look to pay their top two picks above league minimum in order to keep them happy and in their organization longer than a single season. 

When and how will players earn more?

There are two quick answers to this. One is when three-year guaranteed contracts expire. As one league staff member told The Hockey News, almost all players on three-year deals will need to take pay cuts when their deals are done if they want the league to be able to attract and retain talent. Another league staff told The Hockey News that they don't believe the players who negotiated the CBA understood how negatively the terms would impact players without three-year guarantees; terms which are locked in place for eight years. In year eight of the CBA, which will be 2031, the league minimum salary will be $43,045. 

The second path for players to earn more, is through league expansion. If the league expanded by two teams following the end of year three, not only would it couple with players coming off three year deals, but it would open 46 roster spots with new GM's having the ability to build teams without a mandated group of players taking the bulk of the salary, thereby allowing more players to earn near the $55,000 average salary without having to take pay cuts.  For this year however, as one league staff member told The Hockey News, they expect teams may need to ask some players on their current roster to take pay cuts, even those who outperformed expectations. 

The real crunch will be alleviated following year three when the three-year guaranteed contracts when those not involved in those negotiations will finally be able to reap the financial benefits of their efforts. 

With the salary cap disconnected from revenue, or broadcasting dollars, there simply is not a pathway to players making more beyond the expiration of three year deals and the retirement of those players until 2031, or expansion, whichever comes first. 

Will there still be player movement?

Players will certainly move teams this offseason, and a $3000-5000 raise might be enough to entice a player coming off a strong season on a one-year deal to look elsewhere, but if teams can offer this type of raise, it would likely be to only one player, and they'll need to decide whether that happens externally, or whether they can provide that raise internally to one or multiple players. Of the 147 players who appeared in at least one game this season, nearly 90 will become unrestricted free agents in June representing roughly 60% of the player pool. Add in an additional 42 drafted players, a handful of reserves who didn't play games, and dozens of free agents who will earn camp invites, and the competition for contracts will be intense. Inevitably players will change teams, but it will more likely be for personal preference or necessity rather than financial gain.